2frame nuc swarming?

[dan3008]

Really stupid question


I've been talking to a local keeper about queen raising, requeening and splitting hives for increase and swarm control.

Actually a really good chat. I learned a lot about bee keeping in general but one things got me stumped. This guy seemed to genuinely believe that a 2 frame nuc wont swarm or abscond even if you keep them in it all year... Now I'm not convinced that a 2 frame nuc would have the stores to over winter? More the bee mass to keep warm?
But that aside, id rather combine a nuc into a main hive for winter anyway. My main question is about swarming. Surely they would swarm when they filled all the space? Or maybe just abscond if there arnt enough bees to make a reasonable swarm? Anyone know something I've overlooked about this?

 

[Poly Hive]

Well well there is always some thing newer and dafter.

Of course they will swarm/abandon.

PH

 

[dan3008]

Well well there is always some thing newer and dafter.

Of course they will swarm/abandon.

PH

That's what I thought, but this guy was so adamant, and says he's been doing it so long, I wondered if he knew something I didn't... And when I couldn't find anything on google, I decided to ask... To be honest sounds almost as daft as using an oni-mask to keep evil spirits from making home in your hive... That made me laugh

 

[Fatbee]

So how does he keep it a two frame nuc? He must be removing frames all the time?

 

[dan3008]

So how does he keep it a two frame nuc? He must be removing frames all the time?

You'd have thought so. He claims not. Apparently he just puts a frame of honey and a frame of young brood and eggs with a qc, in the box and lets them get on with it. Apparently the nuc just survive, with a fairly steady population, but that just doesn't sound like bees to me.
Tbh, I recon he's either confused about what he's saying, or trying to make me look the fool

 

[dan3008]

Not long after my last post, I recived an email telling me to ignore anything this guy says about nuc's... Apparently he's not all with it since a mental breakdown a few years back. Apparently he was once one of the best local bee keepers, and had 50 of his own hives, and tended just about all the community and charity hives locally, but now somone else looks after his hives, he just joins in because its the one time his old self shows. Sad story really, but he still has a wealth of knowledge, you just have to take it with a pinch of salt (or in this case, the whole salt seller)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not long after my last post, I recived an email telling me to ignore anything this guy says about nuc's... Apparently he's not all with it since a mental breakdown a few years back. Apparently he was once one of the best local bee keepers, and had 50 of his own hives, and tended just about all the community and charity hives locally, but now somone else looks after his hives, he just joins in because its the one time his old self shows. Sad story really, but he still has a wealth of knowledge, you just have to take it with a pinch of salt (or in this case, the whole salt seller)

Is he on this forum?

 

[dan3008]

Is he on this forum?

No. I asked him, and he said he doesn't have a computer and hates the things, so i wouldn't think so